Electric switch



Nov. 15, 1938. w. C. EDWARDS 2,136,494

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 25, 1935 l2 sneets-shee1 1 75" Z3 L? 7,3 aj ATTORNEM Nov. 15, 1938. w. c. EDWARDS 2,136,494

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 25, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 fax/E I /7/ .ger/@ V/Z/ INVETOR 1 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,136,494 ELECTRIC lswl'rori Application February 23, 1935, serial No. 7,915

12 IClaims.

This invention relates to electric switches for automotive vehicles and more particularly to switches for controlling translation devices, such as lamps, and for concurrently controlling a resistance unit associated with an instrument, such as a generator.

Herein is disclosed in the present invention a plurality of switches that are .used for the purpose oi controlling the various lamp circuits oi' an automotive vehicle in conjunction with an auxiliary switch for controlling the output of a generator. The auxiliary switch is operable upon actuation of one of the switches for the lamps,

r or other heavy loads to short circuit a resistance unit connected in the generator eld circuit. In the normal position of the auxiliary switch the resistance unit is included in the field circuit so as to reduce the output of the generator when it Amight be otherwise entirely too high for charging a normal size storage battery continuously. When the auxiliary switch is operated to include lamps or other heavy current devices the resistance unit is short circuited to allow the increased load to take care of the increased. output of the generator.

A25 Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and economical switch construction whereby a single control member will coincidentally operate the means for controlling the current ilow to the translation devices and the means for controlling the resistance unit to conrol another instrument. This is accomplished by providing a switch construction which includes a movable member oi insulating material carrying a bridging member adapted to connect the translation devices in a circuit and also having a plate movable with the'insulating member, the plate lhaving provisions whereby the resistance unit is insulated from the switch case in a certain position of the switch, while in another position of the switch the resistance unit is mechanically connected with the plate to ground the resistance unit through the switch case.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown;

In the drawings: l

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of the switch structure embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional =fview taken on the line 1 -2V of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

(Cl. L-48) Fig. 4 is a rear view of the structure substantially as indicated by the arrow 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on theline 5 5 of Fig. 2. j

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken substantially on 5 the line 6 6 of Fig. l. A

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are circuit diagrams showing the diierent position of the switch parts and the various circuits which are closed by the operation of the switch.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive of the drawings, a supporting bracket or mounting plate 2li of sheet metal is provided with legs 2i and 22. The leg 2i is suitably apertured to receive bolt and nut devices, not shown, for attaching the l5 bracket to a suitable support or to aninstrument panel 23 of an automotive vehicle. A cup-shaped housing 2d is provided with a flat wall l25 and is secured to the leg 22 of the bracket any preferred manner, such as spot welding or the like. 20

The flat wall of the cup-shaped housing 24 and the leg 22 of the bracket are provided with aligned apertures 26, 2l, and elongated or guide openings 23. Adjacent the at wail 25 there is placed a flat ground plate or disc 29. This disc 25 has an opening substantially the diameter of the opening 26. The portion margining the opening 3d is inwardlyextended to provide a tongue or projection 3i. The plate 2a is also provided with a radial slot 32 and an arcuate 30 opening 33. The slot 32 has communication with the elongated openings 28 while the arcuate slot has communication with the apertures 2l.

The openings 25 in the flat wall 25 and the leg 22 provide a journal bearing for a hub 340i a A35 non-conducting drive member 35. This member is provided on one side with .a radial slot 36 so as to communicate with the radial slots 32 ofthe disc 29 and the elongated openings 23. Thus, when the member is placed in position, the hub 34 is 40 journalled in the openings 26 and the tongue 3l of the plate 29 will t into the slot'36 so that the plate 29 will be driven by the member 35.

The drive member 35, carries a movable contact plate or circuit completing member 40 of disc 45 formation. This plate has contact bosses 4l, 42 and 43 arranged in triangular formation. At points intermediate the contact bosses 4l, '42 and 43 the plate is provided with tongues or projections 44 punched therefrom. These tongues or 50 projections are adapted to extendinto suitable notches provided by the drive member 35. The arrangement and dimensions of the tongues 44 relative to theirrespective notches are so proportioned and arranged that the member 40 will 55 have a relatively loose driving engagement with drive member S and capable of axial movement along the axis thereof.

A coiled spring iiil is interposed between the contact pla-te dil and the member 35. One end of the spring rests against the plate 40 while the other end rests on the bottom or" an annular recess 5i, as shown in Fig. 2. The bottom of the recess 5i is provided .with a radial depression or recess said channel having an opening which communicates with the radial .slot 36. The `channel 52 forms an anchoring means for one end of a leaf spring 53 located in the radial slot. The radial slot 3S of the drive member 35 is gauged as at 54 to receive the free end of the spring.

A switch back or closure 59 of insulating material supports a battery connection 60 and a plurality of contact terminals 6|, 62, 63, 64, 65 and 65 arranged in a circular row. The contact terminals are provided with contact. surfaces within the housing. The contact terminals 6| and 64 are connected together by a plate 61. Both the battery connection 60 and the plate 61 are provided with fuse brackets lfor the retention of a fuse 68. The back 59. operates to close the open end of the cup-shaped housing 24 and is secured to the housing by bending over tangs B9 formed integral with the housing. The securing of the back to the housing will cause the spring 50 to be compressed between the contact plate 40 and the driving member 35. The spring, while under compression,l urges the plate axially so that the contact bosses 4|, 42 and 43 bear against the back and at the same .time causes the member 35 to urge the ground plate 29 against the iiat wall 25 of the housing and also keeps the boss 34 within the openingsl.

The actuating means for the switch comprises a push-pull rod 10 having an end 1l, bent at substantially right angles to the main portion of the rod. The end 1| extends through the elongated opening 28, the radial slot 32 of the ground plate 29 and. into-the radial slot of the member 35 to bear against the free end of the spring 53, located in the gauged portion of the slot 36. The spring 53 is put under tension by the end 1|. and the spring operates to prevent rattles'or noises between the rod and other switch parts.

The other end of the rod 10 is slidably supported in a bushing or sleeve 12. This bushing extends through suitable openings provided by leg 2| and the support 23. The bushing is provided with a shoulder 13 that bears against the support 23 so that when a nut 14 is screw-threaded upon the threaded portion of the sleeve and drawn tightly against the leg 2|, the main portion of the rod will move in a plane substantially parallel to the leg 22 and maintain the end 1| in the radial slot 36. The rod 10 is provided with a knob 15 which facilitates the movement of the same to rotate or oscillate the drive member 35 which in turn rotates the circuit completing means and the ground plate. 'I'he rod is limited in its movement by the end edges of the elongated openings 28.

Associated with the switch is a resistance unit assembly 80. This assembly is insulatingly supported upon the leg 22 as clearly shown in'Fig. 6. The assembly includes a resistance coil 8| and a plate 82 carrying a contact 83. The contact l83 extends through the apertures 21 of the leg 22 and flat wall 25 and normally extends through the arcuate slot 33 of the ground plate -29 to engage the non-conducting drive member 35, as

shown in Figs. 5 and 6, so as to include the resistance coil 8i in a circuit.

The use of the switch construction shown in Figs, l to 6 inclusive is preferably embodied in a system of electrical distribution as disclosed in Figs. '1, 8 and 9. In these figures |00 designates a generator which is driven at variable speed by an internal combustion engine. The generator includes main brushes |0| and |02 the former being grounded and the latter being connected to a lead |03 which is connected to one side of a cut-out relay |04. The other side of the relay is connected to a battery |05. The cutout relay automatically connects the generator with the battery when the generator voltage exceeds a certain value and disconnects the battery from the generator where the voltage of the generator falls below a certain value. A third brush |06 is connected with the shunt field |01 which is connected by a lead |08 with the plate 82 which is electrically connected to one end of the resistance coil 8|. The other end of the coil is connected to ground.

The dierent positions of the switch to close various circuits will be obvious from Figs. 7, 8 and 9. It will be seen that a horn ||0 is connected to the connector 61 fixed to the switch back through the lead so that the horn will be includedin a circuit in either position of the switch in case the operator closes a switch H2, the horn will be operated.

The different lamp -circuits are connected through the switch by the various terminalconnectors on the back of the switch closure 59. Head lamps ||5 are connected to the terminals 63 by a lead H6. Parking lamps ||`l are connected to the terminal 62 by a lead ||8 and the tail light ||9 is connected to the terminal 65 by a lead |20,

The novel feature of the invention resides in the use, in connection with the electrical system described and illustrated, of the resistance coll which is supported and controlled by the switch structure and which is connected directly to the generator eld circuit. When the switch is in its.off or park positions and the battery is fully charged it is necessary to have some means to cut down the out-put of the generator so as not to cause serious damage to the electrical system. This is accomplished by the resistance coil 8|. The resistance coil 8| func- .tions when the use of lamps is not necessary or when lamps having a light load are used to stabilize the load. When the switch is in the on position, or in other words when the head lamps are burning, the resistance coil is shortcd out and the field circuit is connected directly to ground so as to insure full output of the generator.

Thus, when the switch' mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 7, the resistance coil 8| is connected in the field circuit, as the contact 83 extends through the arcuate slot 33 of the ground plate 29, as clearly shown in Fig. 5,' and bears against the non-conducting drive plate 35.

When the switch is actuated from the posi tion shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 8 the contact 83 still extends through the arcuate slot 33 and bears against the non-conducting plate 35, and the following circuits are completed to the tail lamp ||8 and the side lamps |1 with the resistance 8| connected in the field circuit |08 in the following manner: from the battery |85, lead 99, terminal 60, fuse 68, connector 6,1, contact 64, contact plate 40, and then the current is divided, a portion of the current flowing from the plate 40 through terminal 62, lead H8, lamps then back to the battery through ground, while another portion of the current will be directed from the plate 40 to the terminal 66, connection |2I, terminal 65, lead |20, tail lamp ||9 and back to the battery through a ground connection.

` When the switch is moved to the position shown in Fig. 9 to connect the head lamps ||5 in a circuit together with the tail lamp circuit, the following circuits are completed: from the battery |05, lead 99, terminal 60, fuse 68, terminal connection 61, terminaltl, plate 40, and then the current is divided, a portion of the current will be directed from the plate 40 through terminal 63, lead IIS, head lamps H5 then back to the battery through a ground connection, while another portion of the current will-be directed from the plate 40, terminal 65, lead |20, tail lamp H9, then back to the battery through the ground connection. While the switch is in the position shown in Fig. 9, the resistance coil 8| is short circuited as the eld circuit |01 of the generator |00 is connected directly to ground through lead |08, plate 82, contact 83, plate 29 to ground.

Whilethe embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. An electric switch comprising, in combination; a bracket; a housing secured to the bracket; a closure member secured to the housing and providing a plurality of contact terminals; a cir- 4cuit closing means rotatably supported within y the housing for cooperation with the terminals to close a plurality of circuits; a ground plate rotatable with the circuit closing means; a resistancey unit insulatingly supported on the bracket, said Aunit having a contact normally disengaging the ground plate to maintain the resistance in a circuit; and a controller operable upon the circuit closing means to move the ground plate in engagement with the contact to short circuit the resistance unit.

2. An electric switch comprising, in combination; a mounting plate; a cup-shaped housing secured to the plate; a closure member secured to the housing and providing a plurality of contact terminals; a circuit closing mechanism rotatably supported within the housing; a shortcircuiting plate located adjacent the iiatk wall of the housing and rotated with the circuit-closing mechanism; a resistance unit assembly insulatingly supported on the mounting plate, 'said assembly comprising a resistance coil and a plate carrying a Contact, said contact extending through aligned openings in the mounting plate and the at wall of the housing to make engagement with a non-conducting part of the circuit closing means so as to connect the` coil in certain circuit closing positions of the switch; and a controller operable on the circuit-closing mechanism to move same in a certain circuit closed position and connect the short circuiting plate with the contact so as to short circuit the' resistance coil.

3. An electric switch comprising, in combination; a mounting plate; a housing secured to the plate; a closure membersecured to the housing and providing a plurality of contact terminals; a circuit closing means rotatably Supa ported within the housing for cooperation with the terminals to complete a plurality of circuits;

ra short circuit member carried by the circuit and move the short circuit member into engagement with the contact so as to short circuit` the resistance coil.

4. A switch for controlling the field circuit of Y' a generator comprising, in combination; a mounting plate; a cup-shaped housing secured to the plate; a closure member secured to the housing and providing a plurality of contact terminals; a circuit closing means rotatably supported within the housing for cooperation with the terminals to close a plurality of lamp circuits; a ground plate located within the housing and rotatable with the circuit-closing means; a resistance unit assembly insulatingly supported on the mounting plate and connected with the field circuit of the generator, said assembly comprising a resistance coil and a plate carrying a contact extending into the housing andnormally held out of engagement with the ground plate so as to include the resistance coil in the field circuit; and manually operable means' for moving the circuit closing means to close a lamp circuit and connect the ground plate with the lcontact to short-circuit the resistance coil.

5. An electric switch comprising, in combination; a bracket having an aperture and an elongated opening; a cup-shaped housing supported by the bracket and having an aperture and an elongated opening in alignment with the aperture and the opening of the bracket; a non-conducting drive plate having a hub portion journalled in the housing and the bracket and having a radial slot in communication with the elongated openings; a ground plate drivingly connected with the non-conducting'plate and having an arcuate slot and a radial opening in communication with the elongated openings; a contact member provided with extensions loosely received by notches of the drive plate; a terminal plate closing the back of the housing and providing a plurality of contacts in cooperative relation with the contact member; means disposed between the drive plate and contact plate maintaining engagement of the contact plate with the terminal plate; an operating rod slidably supported on the bracket and having a transverse portion extending through the elongated openings and the radial opening of the ground plate and into the radial slot of the drive plate whereby the drive plate and the ground plate may be oscillated upon actuation of the rod; and a resistance unit assembly insulatingly supported on the bracket, said assembly comprising a resistance coil and a plate carrying a contact extending through the aligned apertures of the bracket and housing and the arcuate slot of the ground plate to normally engage the non-conducting drive plate to maintain the resistance coil in a circuit in certain positions of the switch, and said contact engaging the ground plate in another position of the switch to short circuit the resistance coil.

6. A switch for controlling the iield circuit of a generator comprising in combination; a housing; contact terminals insulatingly supported by the housing; a circuit closing means rotatably supported Within the housing for cooperation with the terminals to close a plurality of circuits; a ground plate located Within the housing and rotatable with the circuit closing means; a resist- F ance unit assembly insulatingly supported with respect to the housing and connected with the held circuit of generator, said assembly including a contact extending into the housing and normally held outof engagement with the ground l0 plate so as to include the resistance coil in the held circuit; and manually operable means for rotating the circuit closing means and the ground plate a certain distance toward a circuit closing position to connect the ground plate with the conl tact to short circuit the resistance coil.

7. switch for controlling the i'leld circuit of a generator comprising in combination; a housing; contact terminals insulatinfvly supported byv the housing; a circuit closing means rotatably 2O supported Within the housing for cooperation with the terminals to close a plurality oi' circuits; a ground plate located within the housing rotatable with the circuit closing means; a resistance unit assernhlgT insuiatingly supported with respect to the housing and connected with the held circuit ot the generator; and means to short circuit the resistance through the ground plate in one oi the circuit closing positions of the switch. l 3o 3. il switch lling the 'field circuit oi a generator conal rising combination; a housing; Contact terminals insulatingly supported by the housing; a circuit closing means rotatably supported `within the housing 'for cooperation with ground plate located within the housing and rot `table with the circuit closing means; a resistance unit assembly insulatingly suf'p with respect to housing and connected with C the held circuit of the generator, and to short circuit the resistance, mea s in d to engage the ground 1 ing a contact e late and operable to short circuit the resistance i tericc the resistance will be included in instrument circuit in thu fof position of nie sumen:

ans operable with the ciicu means to rotate the same an on le s 'itch to include the resistance unit 'istrument circuit and to short circuit the resistance through the ground plate and the housing when circuit closing means is rotated to another posie 65 tion aisance lil. A switch comprising in combination; a mounting member; a housing secured to the mounting member; an insulating block secured to the housing and providing a plurality oi contact terminals; a circuit closing means rotatably supported Within the housing for cooperation with the terminals to close a plurality of circuits; a plate carried by the circuit closing means and cooperating with the housing to provide a ground connection; a resistance unit insulatingly supl0 ported on the mounting member, said unit having means extending into the housing and normally out of engagement with the plate; and means for transmitting movement to the plateV and the circuit closing means simultaneously to l5 close circuits of diierent loads, the extending means being arranged relative tc thc plate so that the resistance unit will be in a circuit ol light loads and short circuited through the ground connection-by the extending means through the 90 plate when circuits of heavy load are closed,

il. A switch for controlling the flow or" current to translating devices having' an off position and several on positions comprising in combination; a housing; closure for the housing f2: and providing a plurality of Contact terminals; a floating contact member supported for rotatable engagement with the terminals; a resistance unit insulatingly supported with respect -to the housing tor controlling another instrument; and e grounding means for the resistance unit, said means rotatable with the floating Contact member but insulated therefrom and arranged thercwith so that the resistance unit 'will be included in the circuit to the instrument in the oil and 35 the rst on position of the switch and short circuited when the switch is moved to a second on position.

l2A switch tor controlling a plurality oi lamp circuits and the held circuit of a generator com- 4 prising, in combination; a housing; contact terminals insulatingly supported by the housing; a circuit closing means rotatably supported within the housing for cooperation with the terminals to close a plurality oi lamp circuits having diferdi' ent loads; a ground. plate rotatable with the Circuit closing means; resistance unit insulatingly supported with resoect to the housing and connected with the ield circuit of the generator; said unit including a contact normally held out 50 f of engagement iviththe ground plate so as to in- .LL EUW 

